Breaking News: As this blog was about to go out to our readers, Saudi King Salman made a major step forward towards implementing his son, Prince Mohammad’s, plan to transform Saudi society. Salman removed Ministers seen by his son as obstacles to reform — a major move in a normally very cautious monarchy. Stay tuned.

Days before an aging King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was admitted to the hospital, he reached out to a 59 year younger, once estranged nephew. Both had become preoccupied by the next phase of the country’s development — a post carbon Saudi Arabia. After their rift, both the uncle and his nephew Mohammed had forged ahead, laying a plan to embrace the vast potential of a carbon free future in Saudi Arabia – minus the oil revenues.

Now Mohammed’s father, Prince Salman was about to claim the throne. As Abdullah intended, Salman gave his son unprecedented control over the oil monopoly, the national investment fund, economic policy and the Ministry of Defense. The young prince is the anointed leader and power behind the throne. Author Peter Waldman writes that “Western diplomats call him Mr. Everything. He’s 31 years old.” This young prince defies Saudi norms and reflects a new genre of thinking, even “as he tries to emulate Steve Jobs, credits video games with sparking ingenuity and to top it all, he works 16 hour days.” This to my mind reflects a long awaited new vision in Saudi Arabia led by the younger generation of princes.

For a country that has lived off its oil wealth and foreign reserves, Saudi Arabia was burning through its reserves. “This is a country that historically survived on its oil wealth which supported 90% of the state budget, its export earnings and more than half its gross domestic product,”writes Waldman.

And Mohammed understands that a post-Carbon Saudi Arabia cannot sideline the energies of half its population. A new role for women is a key ingredient in his strategy. His phrasing is revealing: “We believe women have rights in Islam that they’ve yet to obtain.”

Among them? The much debated freedom to drive. “If women were allowed to ride camels [in the time of the Prophet Muhammad], perhaps we should let them drive cars, the modern-day camels,’’ Mohammed has told Western businessmen.

Mohammed is playing a powerful religious and cultural card. Every Saudi will be reminded by his comment of Khadija, the Prophet’s first wife, who hired the prophet to manage one of her camel caravans, and of Aisha, his youngest wife, who legendarily led any army into battle bareback on her own camel.

What Mohammed is conceding is that women already have these rights under Islam, but have not been allowed by Saudi society to enjoy them – and it’s a badly needed recognition. It’s high time that Muslim women reclaim their Islamic rights, pursue their educations and their dreams.

Is Mohammed for real? I asked my friend Samar Fatany, a keen and long observer of evolving Saudi politics, and one of the most courageous voices inside the Kingdom, what she thought. She sent me a blog she had just written in the Saudi Gazette. Her answer – yes, this is real. “The national transformation plan outlined by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, is an ambitious and daring move that can finally put an end to the strong hold of extremists in Saudi Arabia.”

Fatany says that the 2030 Vision is not just about diversifying the economy. It also challenges the hardline mindset that has rejected past efforts to reform and modernize Saudi society. She argues that “it can finally put an end to the hold of extremists.”

Fatany is an astute journalist who has her finger on the Saudi pulse. She highlights the need for “people with leadership qualities who are bold, progressive, charismatic, wise and competent and above all have the moral integrity to confront challenges and provide innovative solutions”. She is fervent about “putting the right man or woman in the right place, for the job at hand.”

She lays out her own bold strategy for how Prince Mohammed can implement his goals in the face of anticipated fierce resistance from the entrenched religious reactionaries who hold Saudi Arabia back.

“The leadership needs to curb the dominance of ultra-conservatives who could obstruct the transformation plan with their intolerant sectarian, extremist and racist attitudes. The plan should include grassroots changes to empower moderate intellectuals, academics and professionals with a progressive vision for change.”

Fatany wants citizens to demonstrate strong support for government moves against hardliners. She also advocates for human rights, social justice and a non-discriminatory lens for both men and women.

“Judicial reform is critical for the success of the national transformation plan” explains Fatany. Social justice calls for effective, codified Shariah to make both men and women aware of their legal rights and make them law-abiding and contributing citizens. She believes that the guardianship rule and not allowing women to drive are examples of un Islamic discrimination.

“We can catch up with global progress by activating a vibrant civil society that complements government policies, pushes the implementation of laws and promotes the skills of citizenship and ethical behavior essential for a more productive society.”

Prince Mohammad Bin Salman had made it clear that this kind of soft power is a key ingredient in his strategy. One of the key goals is to increase art, culture and entertainment facilities for citizens. He promised to invest in museums, theaters and cultural activities. He said there are plans to open the largest Islamic museum in the world and to register Saudi archaeological sites with UNESCO.

Samar Fatany is a bold optimist who has articulately identified several key issues that if adopted and embraced could make a genuine difference in the productive lives of men and women eager to participate in the new Saudi Arabia. Ms. Fatany acknowledges that these new bold ideas are not necessarily compatible with the views of Saudi extremists. Engaging moderate imams who can respect diversity and embrace modernity is essential to the culture of change. She urges Islamic scholars to contemporize their thinking– especially since there is no clear Quranic basis for their hardline views.

Ms. Fatany urges Saudi scholars of different sects and different schools of thought to promote the genuine message of Islamic tolerance. They need to come up with a stronger narrative that negates the extremist ideology. “Only then can we implement the transformation plan to help Saudi Arabia assume its role as the leader of the Arab and Muslim world.”

Is it to much to hope that a new partnership is emerging in Saudi Arabia, between the women who have fought for years for recognition of their rights under Islam, and a young Prince who wants to take the country past its increasingly dangerous dependence on oil and understands that he needs their help?

“Wadjda, first film by Saudi female director with French sensitivities, selected to open the Ayam Beirut Al Cinema’iya film festival this year

With compassion, insight and humor, Haifaa Al-Mansour, the director shines the spotlight on Wadjda, a 10 year old girl – cut from a different cloth right from the start. In the first few frames of the film, we see Wadjda wiggling her feet in sneakers – in stark contrast to her classmates who wear their conformist ballet flats. The film is focused on Wadjda’s simple yet vaulting desire to own a bike. In most cultures this would not raise an eyebrow but in Saudi Arabia, it is controversial…. Why, it might even cause a woman to lose her virginity!

The cinematically beautiful film has a light touch but is an eye opener. It shines a spotlight on the clash of cultures, values and mores in Saudi Arabia’s strict Wahhabi society. The restrictions impact women broadly – from marriage and career to the freedom to drive. Al-Mansour, an artist, and change agent is a compassionate centrist who embraces the moderate middle.

In an interview Haifaa Al-Mansour says, “I focus on the personal and not the political.” So she does in a compassionate story which highlights tough issues – but be assured Al-Mansour is anything but shrill. She delivers vital, game changing messages brilliantly but — sotto voce.

The story line focuses on Wadjda’s passion to pursue her simple dream to own a bike – at any cost – so that she can race her young friend, Ali and win. Interspersed into the story are insights into the deeper divide in Saudi society – its gender segregation, curtailment of women’s rights to drive cars (even though, Aisha, Prophet Muhammad’s last and youngest wife rode into battle bare back on a camel in seventh century Arabia).

One of the most poignant moments of the film for me focused on a man’s prerogative to marry a second wife if the first wife did not bear him a male heir – even though the husband loves his first wife and their daughter. The irony is that the arranged marriage with the second wife takes place in an adjoining compound to the first wife’s home. Both mother and daughter observe the festivities from their terrace and sadly hug each other, recognizing that the two of them must now hang together and face their battles bravely. This is an intense scene where mother and daughter are meted out their fate – over which they have no control.

I was struck by the director’s light touch in handling tough societal issues. When asked about the tone of her film, Haifaa Al-Mansour said: “I want to be heard. If I have a point of view, it is important not to scream it out but to present it so people can listen. It is important to take people on a journey with you and not compromise your message. You can be effective even by being in the moderate middle.”

Al-Mansour dealt with her challenges of which there were many. She was, after all, the first Saudi women director, who had to finance a film that was going against Saudi culture and film it from a van where her crew was segregated by gender.

Grounded in motherhood and upbeat about life, she believes it is important not to be judgmental but to focus on the “inner struggle.” She recognizes that Saudi society is evolving- “there is room now to speak up – but it is important not to complain.”

Wadjda is the Saudi entry for the Oscar next year. We wish Al-Mansour all success – and I wish I had more movies like this to review!

Khadijah’s daughters is a blog by Shahnaz Chinoy Taplin, board president of Invest in Muslim Women, a non-profit project of the Global Fund for Women. Invest in Muslim Women focuses on the economic empowerment of Muslim women, justice and peace. The blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife and the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist.

I have a dream – a new year’s wish for 2013. It is for Muslim women’s rights to flourish so that they can “shoot for the moon” as Fatima Mernissi, the Moroccan author of the “Veil and the Male Elite” advises. But this requires democracy and women’s rights to be inextricably allied – one cannot thrive without the other. Without the support of democratic values, principles and institutions– the female half of any country is handicapped, as the Muslim experience proves. And without women’s active engagement in furthering democracy, democratic principles and institutions promoting equality and justice are, by definition, crippled – a nation cannot be effectively democratic for half of its citizens.

As Egypt approaches the second anniversary of the Tahrir Square revolution; the Morsi presidency transmits dual messages. “We want everything to be Islamic….” in all ways from the president to the drainage systems, countered by “We feel to be alone in the sea is not good for Egypt” or the region.

Egyptians approved a new constitution weak on women’s rights, so that equality for women and minorities, freedom of the press and due process for justice – aren’t adequately protected Peter Hesller points out in the New Yorker.http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2012/12/24/121224taco_talk_hessler. But the new Administration just adopted a new election law requiring political parties to include women candidates in their election slates which is — a modest but good start. Yet the road from dictatorship to democracy could be l-o-n-gin Egypt.

Friedman frames the issue as whether Egypt becomes the next India or the next Pakistan. He cites ndia’s recent appointment of a Muslim as India’s head of intelligence services as “a big, big deal,” but India also has a raft of senior and powerful women political leaders – even while its threatened patriarchal culture lashes back with episodes like the ghastly Delhi rape-murder. India’s experiment with democracy indicates that freedom, independence and democracy do not make a neat or easy trio. India- the world’s largest democracy is wild, cantankerous and cacophonous – but even so, it works.http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/12/19/2407763/will-egypt-become-the-next-india.htmlThough Muslims continue to face discrimination in India, the message from the top leadership is clear: minorities need to be validated and empowered. Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institute at Stanford University explains how democracy eroded “primordial barriers – such as caste, tribe and religion.” In recent years even Indian village panchayats (councils) have been required legislatively to elect women representatives to one third of the village councils’ seats.

Egypt and India share a parallel colonial history, but then their paths differ. India, blessed by enlightened leaders, paved the way for democracy along with independence. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru among others were indefatigably committed to democracy. Egypt’s path exploded overnight. It also lacked leaders with a bold, new inclusive vision and plans to bring together secularists and Islamists while the military kept the lid on the toxic brew which the Arab spring inherited.Afghanistan has even less foundation for democracy or women’s rights than Egypt. Progress in Afghanistan – particularly on women’s issues is slow. While good laws are written (listing 22 acts of violence against women), they are not well implemented – particularly if they conflict with local tribal and cultural norms. Yet, there is some progress: In 2012, 4,000 reports of abuse of women were reported to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, far exceeding the numbers in 2011. Yet, in the 16 provinces, a miniscule percentage of these reports were registered by the police, and only 163 went to trial, resulting in 100 convictions.

Domestic matters are the purview of the family in Afghanistan. External and institutional intervention is resisted. Traditional jirgas and shuras are alternative places where violence against women in the home and family is too often dismissed by male elders. (Slow Gains in Justice for Afghan Women).Despite these challenges, Ms. Gagnon, Director of Human rights for the United Nations’ Afghanistan office, said: “The commitment of government authorities varies, with some deeply supportive of the law — to the extent of risking their lives to help women — and others reluctant to move cases into the courts.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/asia/afghan-law-offering-abused-women-redress-makes-slow-gains.html

Pakistan is the proof point. It shared India’s pre-independence history and broad cultural traditions. But the military with US encouragement squashed democracy, and we can see the disaster this created today. Tragedy upon tragedy follows in quick step. The world is still stunned by the Taliban shooting Malala Yousufzai, a refreshing and dedicated 14 year old student, who has dreams to learn, to teach, to excel. (Fortunately, she is on the mend but will still need further surgeries.) Her horror story was followed by the death of nine health workers – women and men – who were killed for meeting with families to explain the value of the polio vaccine for their daughters. And now we have another seven deaths, six of them women, mostly teachers in Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa, the Province bordering Afghanistan and the heart of the most traditional elements in Pakistani society. These are heinous acts and certainly not Islamic –- yet the Taliban are said to be responsible for them and proudly proclaim that they shot Malala.

Without the inextricable two step dance between democracy and women’s rights, the aid workers, teachers, health workers and the Malalas of this world – who can light up our lives, pave the way for their brethren, give us hope – cannot do what they were put on earth to do! For the world’s marginalized, impoverished, unemployed women – all of whom have expectations – democratic participation and women’s rights – could be the answer to their dreams and futures.

Happy New Year and here’s to your dreams being fulfilled in 2013.

Shahnaz Chinoy Taplin’s blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist.

]]>http://investinmuslimwomen.org/?feed=rss2&p=8600Why Women Must Be at the Heart of Phase II of the Arab Springhttp://investinmuslimwomen.org/?p=754
http://investinmuslimwomen.org/?p=754#respondSun, 20 Jan 2013 12:10:48 +0000http://investinmuslimwomen.org/?p=754

Date: Nov 2012

“There are two steps in a revolution: You break it and then you build something new. That’s the hardest, “ says Mabrouka M’barek, a newly elected member of the Tunisian National Constituent Assembly.

M’barek, a “founding mother” birthed in the Arab Spring, is engaged in drafting the country’s new constitution. She is one of the 49 women in a 217 Assembly in Tunisia that ironically boasts of exceeding the female representation ratio in the U.S. Congress.

This is a big change. In the Arab world, women have lagged far behind as leaders in politics and business. This has largely and adversely affected progress and development as reported both by the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Development Program.

One thing is clear: There is a huge upside value in educating women and including them in our economies and governments. Women understand the plight of the underprivileged men, women and children — yet, they are often excluded from participating in key decisions-making roles. The revolutions in the Middle East offer a chance to change this equation. It’s a critical time. Yet the traditional approach — tokenism — is a demonstrated failure.

Some Paradoxes that Struck Me:

In Libya, women hold 33 seats in parliament but women have been excluded from “serious decision making.” Their concerns have often been relegated to the back burner. Women have also been dissuaded from pursuing careers considered “too successful,” says Alaa Murabit, the founder of Voice of Libyan Women.

In the Syrian opposition front based outside Syria, and just being recognized by European governments, not a single woman is included.

But it is in Egypt, the biggest Arab nation, where the real battle lines on the drafting of the new constitution have been drawn between secularists and Islamists. Egypt could well be the hallmark of the Arab Spring as time evolves. Today it seems to be firmly caught betwixt and between the old and new world order.

The pivotal issues in Egypt are women’s rights, the role of religion in a democracy and the expression of faith. The key questions on women’s rights are: Will marriage and inheritance be tied to Shariah law or will Islamists who want gender segregation and veiling prevail? The new draft of the constitution will be ready on December 12 and this will replace the 1971 charter.A thorny but significant issue in Egypt is the future of Al Azhar, a highly respected institution of religious learning, dating from ninth century Cairo. Muslims globally view Al Azhar as the leader of Islamic scholarship upholding moderate Islam — and therefore could become a political football between secularists and Islamists.In drafting the new constitution, the ultraconservatives made two requests — the first to replace the “principles of sharia” with the “rulings of sharia” or even just sharia; and the second to consider “Al Azhar as the new State reference for the interpretation of sharia.” Both suggestions were rejected by the assembly’s liberal members, who fear that Al-Azhar — which today represents a moderate Islam — could one day be used to limit freedoms should it fall under the control of ultraconservatives.This would “effectively create a legislative vetting role for an unelected, unaccountable body with no recourse to judicial review,” says Human Rights Watch. Consider how this might impact Hend Badawi, a 23 year old young woman from Banha, Egypt. Fashionably but conservatively dressed, Badawi is a student who was pushed, pulled, dragged, groped and cursed as she protested in Tahrir Square. With a broken wrist, fingers and lacerated feet, she was moved to a military hospital 12 hours later and she reflects: “When the January 25th (revolution) happened, I had the opportunity to mix my inner revolution with the revolution of my country.” Later when Field Marshall Mohammad Tantawi, Egypt’s de-facto ruler at the time, visited her in the hospital, she said: “We are not the ones who are the thugs….. Get out!” This emboldened her and gave her some serenity.

Nehad Abou el Kosam, co-founder of Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights identifies the high bar facing women: “Women’s issues are at the core of the Islamist movement.” How will Egyptian women navigate around the Islamists being grounded in an anti-women agenda? That is the key question.

Hate vs. Hope for Arab women?

When these Egyptian women were asked if the revolution has helped women, Hana said “Yes”, Samar said “Not yet,” and Badawi said, “Absolutely not.” Mona Altahawy, the fiercely outspoken Egyptian American journalist who was beaten by security forces in Cairo during the revolution says: “Arab societies hate women.” Yet, the Arab spring has allowed Muslim girls and women to dream big dreams as Ms Murabit of Libya says: “For young girls to now tell me that they want to be the future president, minister of defense, these are things I never imagined.” But Eltawahy believes there’s another link for women between politics and the home front: “They realize if they can stand up to Mubarak, they can stand up to their fathers and their mothers and their brothers.” “For societies to transform from repressed dictatorships to healthy democracies, key ingredients are needed says Anne Applebaum, author of Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe. These include patriotism, historical consciousness, education, ambition, optimism and especially patience. The destruction wrought by totalitarian governments always takes decades to repair.” Revolutions are often a two step dance – break and build and the building is a s-l-o-w process.

So if we are at the second step of the Arab revolutions – the building process – and if we understand that the perspective of women is essential to build modern, progressive, tolerant cultures and political systems, how do we measure whether the steps being taken to include women are going to get the job done?

Research by Tali Mendelberg and Christopher F. Karpowitz shows that “female representation matters, but only when there’s parity with men.” The key according to this study is that “women speak up less or appear to lose influence when they are in a minority….. but once they constitute 60-80% of a group, they spoke as much as men…” The authors conclude that women in legislatures, city councils and school boards speak more and highlight the needs of the underprivileged – the poor, the vulnerable, children and families – and men listen.”

So one of the biggest handicaps facing the Arab revolutions is that they are unlikely to provide adequate voice to the perspectives represented by women – and that isn’t just a problem for women.

“Women are our best hope for highlighting the needs of the 99 percent,” say Mendelberg and Karpowitz. Maybe some things are more universal than we think.

Shahnaz Chinoy Taplin’s blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist

The violent protests in Cairo and in Benghazi were painted with an anti-American brush, and attributed to the vile anti- Islamic video produced in California. But could it be that the 9/11 anniversary – etched in our psyches – precipitated the violent demonstrations, spreading to twenty Arab cities. Political pundits – on the right and left surprisingly agree: Ross Douthat, an NYT columnist, negates the notion that the blasphemous video instigated the violent outbursts. Rather, he writes: “The unrest in the Islamic world is more about power politics than blasphemy.” Douthat nails the issue, I believe, when he attributes the violence to a duel between secularists and fundamentalists. This was evident in President Morsi’s anti-American actions in the immediate aftermath of the attacks and riots. Morsi first stabilized his support base so that the Salafists, a religiously more conservative faction, could not score a victory over him. The protests are provoked by internal power politics – even though the press coverage frequently focuses on the anti-American spirit of violent Arab demonstrations.

Before we go further, I would like to pay my respects to ambassador Christopher Stevens and his family for an unfathomable, profound and senseless loss of a quintessential diplomat. I cherish the stories about this “unsung hero” who loved being with the people on the ground, listening to them, speaking in Arabic and always being the last to speak at meetings. It’s a great loss for the US, for Libya – which he loved – and the world at a critical juncture today.

“Why do they hate us” is what Eltahawy is frequently asked by Egyptians and Americans.

Fareed Zakaria on his TV program Global Public Square last Sunday (9/16/12) framed the out of control street protests on 9/11/12 in a broader quantitative context, reminding viewers that while hundreds were engaged in the violent protests, tens of thousands vigilantly participated by night and day in the Arab revolutions. Libya is not anti-American, though it is easy to paint these demonstrations as an “us against them duel”which exacerbates tensions.Interestingly, there was a consensus among the four commentators on Global Public Square last Sunday which featured Zbigniew Brzezinski, Former National Security Advisor, Paul Wolfowitz, Former World Bank President, Bernard-Henri Levy, Author and Tarik Ramadan, Author and Professor of Islamic Studies. They and Fareed Zakaria all believe that the violence was not spurred by an anti-American fervor but rather by deeper divisive politics between rivaling political factions fighting for dominance. Comments ranged from Wolfowitz saying, “this isn’t the Muslim world against the West” and Levy saying “this is a political fight between Democrats and fanatics”. As a Muslim woman, I appreciated Tarik Ramadan’s comments when he said “This is not Islamic, in fact it is anti-Islamic.”

We can take a page from history and note that the trajectories of Eastern Europe’s revolutions in the 60’s. They highlight how long it can take for political demonstrations to mature into functional democracies – with a protracted one step forward, two step backward dance over several decades and as Brzezinski warned: “Don’t confuse populism with democracy.”

Shahnaz Chinoy Taplin’s blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist

The global Muslim mosaic is multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic — as are the women. In Bishkek, I met a vodka-drinking Krgyz woman with a doctoral degree. She defies the traditional stereotype of Muslim women — and yet she views herself as a solid, observant, liberal Muslim who said to me: “I am every bit as Muslim as any other Muslim.” She is a stark contrast to Saudi, Yemeni and Nigerian women controlled by the strict tenets of sharia.

Nine Muslim women contestants won medals in the London Olympics. They represented the world’s Islamic spectrum. Their faith dictated their norms of dress, including the hijab which the Olympic committee compromised on for Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani from Saudi Arabia who competed in Judo.

Modesty, no doubt, is a vital tenet for conservative Muslim women — many of whom do not want to negotiate the hijab, moderating their modesty, even as they participate in the Olympic Games. On the other hand, for Americans, modesty is of no import in the sports arena, where performance trumps all.For me, the bottom line issue about sports for Muslim girls and women is how it impacts their fitness, health and well being. In strict sharia-driven societies, Muslim women are often deprived of exercise. A Human Rights Watch report, “Steps of the Devil: Denial of Women and Girls Rights to Sport in Saudi Arabia,”http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/02/15/steps-devil-0 highlights, “Gender discrimination in Saudi Arabia is institutional and entrenched. Millions of girls are banned from playing sports in schools and women are prohibited from playing team sports and denied access to sports facilities, including gyms and swimming pools.” target=”_blank”>http://www.anhri.net/en/?p=8738

Maiya Maneza (Kazakhstan)Sara Mohamed Barak & Fatma Rashed (Egypt)

The big question is where does this conservatism come from? Are these views propagated by the Islamic faith or culture? The words and actions of Prophet Mohammed would suggest that these restrictive views on women’s sports are inconsistent with the faith.

But not all countries we think of as being religiously dominated are in the anti-girls sports camp. In an article entitled, “Islam and Women’s Sports,”Gertrud Pfister explains Iran, where Muslim feminists claim that neither the Quran nor Muhammad’s sayings prescribe women’s exclusion from public life. Iranians support physical activity and good health for both sexes.In fact, Iran has the distinction of being an enlightened forerunner in supporting women’s sports as championed by Fa’ezeh Hashemi, daughter of President Rafsanjani. Almost 20 years ago, Hashemi initiated the first Women’s Games in Iran (in 1993); and once again in 2005 when 1,700 athletes from 40 countries competed and 10,000 people attended — while Saudi Arabia brings up the rear — permitting women to participate this year in the 2012 Olympics.When local culture wins, women mostly lose: Muslim women athletes are caught in the cross fire between faith and culture. If the latter is dominated by patriarchy, misogyny and tribal customs, the religious support for sports and good health is simply ignored. Muslim sociologists fight back by referencing Islamic sources in concluding sports for health should be mandated for women. The struggle is increasingly more between progressive sports loving Muslim women like Lina al-Maeena, founder of the Jeddah United basketball league, being pitted against regressive female sexuality/chastity advocates. These concerns are also tied closely to family honor which could be challenging as Muslim women forge new frontiers for themselves.But what is the genuine Islamic tradition? What did the Prophet say about women and sports?

Ahmed Shihab Eldin, in “Saudi Arabia’s Olympic Paradox: Insulting Women, Islam and “Prostitutes” on HuffPost, quotes a Saudi female friend questioning Saudi Arabia’s interpretation of the faith: “To me it is a contradiction to Islam itself. The prophet said teach your children 3 things, archery, swimming and riding horse. … Archery for being self-sufficient and getting food, riding horses for mobility and swimming for sport.” The friend goes one step further and she says, “today’s modern world equivalent — getting a job, driving cars and sports in general — are still restricted for millions of women.”

This violation of religious tradition has serious consequences. It impacts women’s ability to exercise, to compete in sports and most egregious of all is its detrimental impact on their health. Obesity of >25kg among 20+ years, is very high in Saudi Arabia: for men it is 70.2 percent and for women it is 73.2 percent — but before we get too high handed, here is the comparative data set for American men 72.5 percent and for American women 66.3 percent (according to the WHO Global Status 2010 report). Better now than later for both nations to address this health hazard for both sexes.Just to remind ourselves of Islam’s origins and positions, I would like to revisit a story about Prophet Muhammad and his wife Aisha, a significant religious scholar. Aisha who loved games and sports says: “I raced with the Prophet and I beat him. Later when I had put on some weight, we raced again and he won. Then he said this cancels that (referring to the previous race).”And finally, when in doubt, Muslims can again revert to the Prophet who is reported to have said: “And your body also has a right over you.” This is the Islam of my youth. It is the Islam of sense, sensibility and spirituality — a faith of moderation, a way of life which also believes in the oneness of humanity.This blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist

Tunisia, Libya and Egypt — Three robust Arab revolutions erupted in three countries with common Mediterranean histories, geographies and culture. In the aftermath of three dictators — Ben Ali of Tunisia, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Hussein Mubarak of Egypt — these countries now have a shot at democracy. However, it will be complicated by a triptych — women’s place and power, faith politics and economics.

One thing is crystal clear: Women are central to the discourse on how democracy develops in the Middle East and North Africa region post revolution. The opportunities afforded to women will shape the political and socio-economic contours in their countries.

Who steps up to create and fund civil society institutions, and champion women’s strategic engagement and leadership? Will Arab women participate in shaping the new societies with their male brethren? Who will erase road blocks and pave the highways of opportunity for women to access education, embark on new careers and enter the work force in their communities?

Many questions, fewer answers — while we wait to see if and how democracy takes root in a fluctuating Arab world.

What the polls highlight:
The Gallup report, “After the Arab Uprisings: Women on Rights, Religion, and Rebuilding” found:

Men’s support for women’s equal legal status and employment options was linked to their own occupational and life satisfaction… and NOT based on religious attitudes.

Both genders rate their lives as being worse post-revolution, but women are more likely to rate their lives as better overall in 2011.

Farida Lebidi — Islamist and a lawyer in Tunis. Lebidi is a member of the Ennahda party elected to the newly constituted assembly. Twenty years ago, Lebidi was a law student, thwarted from taking her exams and taken prisoner for her political activism. Today, Lebidi leads the team, drafting “rights and liberties” in the new constitution. Lebidi, an Islamist, believes that adultery should be a capital offense.http://www.npr.org/2012/06/05/154282351/tunisian-women-turn-revolution-into-opportunity

Alaa Murabit — Libyan activist and founder of the Voice of Libyan Women (VLW) remembers how, under Gaddafi, “men felt they could harass and marginalize women with no consequences.” Today, women’s groups trying to acquire more rights for themselves are often thwarted by conservative traditions.

Zahra Langhi — Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace: “We have a patriarchal culture” “It’s not a matter of just changing legislation; we need a cultural and educational revolution.”

The women’s rights landscape is further complicated by women who criticize activists as being anti-Islamic and secular — even as they pursue emancipation. Yet, there is hope in the fact that 625 women contested in the Libyan election on July 7. Of the 2.7 million people registered to vote, 45 percent are female.

Mona Eltawahy , an Egyptian writer and journalist, who resides in New York, could not stand to watch the heartbreaking events of the revolution unfurling at Tahrir Square. So she landed herself in the midst of the revolution in Cairo — only to have the riot police beat her, break her right hand and left arm — and subsequently release her. Mona Eltawahy, sometimes controversial, made waves when she wrote the article “Why Do They Hate Us?” in Foreign Policy, highlighting regressive attitudes towards Arab women.http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/04/23/why_do_they_hate_us?page=0,1

(Ramzi Haidar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)

“I’m a feminist,… I never imagined they would beat a woman this bad,” said Ms. Eltahawy. “But it wasn’t me they were beating up, it was Tahrir. Our bodies now are stages or substitutes for Tahrir, and they extract this revenge on our bodies for what we did, for the walls we broke down.”
Eltahawy is now focused on the constitution: “Women’s rights, freedom of expression and freedom of religion, can and must be protected.” She is concerned with all the jostling around by Islamist purists wanting to include Shariah law in the constitution and determine which other faiths should be recognized by the new constitution.

My friend Iman Bibars, Vice President of Ashoka in Egypt and a long time feminist and activist who was in the thick of the Tahrir square revolution says: “I am worried and not happy with the disrespect that was shown initially to the decisions of the constitutional court. I am also alarmed that, to date, we have no economic plan while the economic situation is deteriorating” and finally, she says: “we don’t have a strong or unified or mature secular voice to balance the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic voices”

These five brave Arab women – like so many other women – were fully engaged in the Arab revolutions. They put their bodies on the line and now they are engaged in the constitutional battle for equalizing the playing field for women and men. They are striving for an egalitarian civil society where rights, freedom, education and empowerment is the birth right of every man and woman.

Is democracy and women’s effective participation in Egypt and other Arab countries a fantasy? NO. Can this become a reality? YES. Will there be road bumps along the way? YES as well.

Given my own experience with women’s rights in India, I can attest to the fact that the best laws on the books, but without implementation have minimum impact. My hope is that the Arab revolutionaries can create a new impact driven constitutional imprint to create a democracy, advancing civil society and the economic empowerment of women.

I cast my vote for a new world vision for Arab men and women – who were brave to put their bodies, minds and souls on the front lines. I hope that their courageous efforts will result in a new and egalitarian world – which values faith but also respects other religions. Inclusion of women at all levels of the social and economic spectrum is a prerequisite for progress. Women helped make the first wave of the revolutions – only their full engagement will yield the fruits that both men and women sought in the streets.

Shahnaz Taplin’s blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist

“Democratic elections did not result in democratic actors who upheld women’s rights”, said Lina Abou-Habib, President of The Association for Women Rights in Development (AWID), encapsulating the Arab revolutions at the opening plenary of their 2012 conference.
Two thousand women development activists participated in the Istanbul conference of AWID. The opening plenary zeroed in on a key question: “Who is the authentic (Arab) woman?” The concept of the true Middle Eastern woman is claimed, but contested, “by conservatives, extremists and development activists”Other key facts focused on how women were hardly making progress towards redistribution of wealth, resources or a just and fair society. The 2011 Arab revolutions were placed in a historical context; coalitions were viewed as important as was the engagement of youth – not just through Google – but by exposing youth in these challenging times to seasoned voices from the women’s movement.

“Gender Equality must become a Lived Reality” said Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director, UN Women in a video message. Bachelet, former President of Chile, cuts to the core in her address: “I am often asked: What does it take to make economic change for women?” She responds: “Laws advancing women’s rights, equal opportunities and equal access.” For women to progress, Bachelet highlights the need for: “Equal access to resources, assets and markets as well as human rights.” It takes time to build coalitions and alliances to move an agenda forward, explains Bachelet, but she also says, “it takes political will.”

The AWID conference provided a good mix of new perspectives and dynamic participants. One of the highlights was AWID’s release of an insightful rreport, “Towards a Future without Fundamentalisms: Analyzing Religious Fundamentalist Strategies and Feminist Response,” with key findings below:

76% of women’s rights activists surveyed by AWID say the strength of the fundamentalists has increased in the last decade and 60% feel it has increased in the context of their work.

Two thirds of activists surveyed view the impact of fundamentalism as being more obstructive of women’s rights than other movements. Therefore, it is not surprising that women have taken the lead in resisting fundamentalisms: 79% of the activists feel thatwomen’s organizations and the women’s movement has been at the forefront of challenging religious fundamentalism.

Speakers and advocates at the conference provided key insights into how local cultures and women in particular are impacted by the fundamentalism which is sweeping the world.Zainah Anwar at Sisters in Islam – A Voice for Change in Malaysia is someone I was thrilled to see again. I have tracked and admired her work for many years. Zainah is a pioneering advocate who has fought indefatigably for more than twenty years to preserve and advance the rights of women in Malaysia. She fights polygamy, advocates for Muslim women’s rights to divorce and defends women’s rights broadly. http://www.sistersinislam.org.my/

I reconnected with Jamila Afghani, who conducts imam trainings in Kabul and Jalalabad to combat domestic violence against women. She re-inspired me and had me all choked up as she explained her latest ordeal with a Taliban blast in Kabul just prior to her departure.

The bomb blast occurred with Jamila, her 5 year old son and her husband being in three different locations. Uncertain about life and death – they all waited to reconnect with each other on their cell phones. Jamila was understandably shook up and ambivalent about participating in the AWID conference, but her husband packed her bags and encouraged her to attend the conference – which she did like a good trooper. Jamila is one of my icons. When I asked how she could possibly attend the conference in the immediate aftermath of her emotional ordeal with the bomb blast experience, she said without hesitation “but I have to go on.” I applaud Jamila for her courage and commitment to the women in her community. We then got down to the basic issues of life for Afghani women who lack access to safe sanitation and public toilets in their daily lives and what Invest in Muslim Women could do about this challenge? Stay tuned, more later. http://www.necdo.org.af/

The other very special woman I saw is one of my heroines, Jodie Evans of Code Pink based in Los Angeles – ever the crusader, an advocate for enlightened policies and peace. She gave me a strategic but caring pep talk on how activists need to feed their souls and take their breaks – so they can move on to the next battle they must fight! She reiterated her offer to help Invest in Muslim Women – because, she said, “I believe in your idea to reach Muslim women through a faith based lens.” Jodie is the best. http://www.codepink.org/

Stay tuned for highights from AWID’s report, Towards a Future without Fundamentalisms in the next blog:

*AWID has also produced two earlier reports: “Religious Fundamentalisms on the Rise: A case for action” and “Shared Insights: Women’s Rights Activists define religious fundamentalism.” Stay tuned for more highlights and insights from AWID’s most recent report in my next blog.

This blog is inspired by Khadijah, Prophet Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah is the quintessential role model for Muslim women. She was the first convert to Islam, the first Muslim woman entrepreneur, a globalist and a feminist.

9/11 killed 3,497 people, unalterably impacting their families. It created a paradigm shift in the world. It put terrorism on the world map – whether one lives in Karachi, Mumbai, London or New York.Since 9/11, Afghanistan and Pakistan have become dominated by war, with precarious futures at best. Ahmed Rashid, a well-respected Pakistani author of “Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia” among others, describes Bin Laden’s death as “a watershed moment” but not necessarily the death knell of al-Qaeda which continues to propagate intolerance against Christians, Jews and even Muslims – Sufis and Ahmadis – in Pakistan.
“http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/may/03/pakistan-and-al-qaedas-future/“Terrorism, Al Qaeda, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the challenges with Pakistan have fueled the fervor of anti-Muslim right wing zealots in the US. They unabashedly spew vitriolic Islamophobic rhetoric – dangerously widening the socio-political chasm in America. Against this back drop of darkness, the Muslim Spring provides a ray of hope in the Middle East as do Muslim youth who revolted against the long standing dictators in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya while continuing the good fight in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen.As the Internet unleashed a surge of idealism in the large youth cohorts of the Middle East, a new hope emerged in the Muslim world: a civil war for the future of the faith is underway; data shows that Jihadi recruitment is waning; the blame game is no longer being played by Hindus and Muslims in India after the continued bomb blasts but rests squarely with the suicide bombers; and a survey shows that American Muslims are loyal to America beyond doubt.

Civil War in Islam: Muslim Progressives vs.
Traditionalists I am often asked by my friends in the US: “Where are the moderate, mainstreams Muslims in the world and why don’t they stand up and fight terrorism from within the faith?” It is a valid question and here’s my response: First, Islam is a decentralized religion. There is no Pope, as in Catholicism, who can pronounce mandates for all Muslims. Second, we may not see it, but there is a civil war of ideas and interpretations going on in the Muslim world today. Progressives and traditionalistsare in quest for the soul of Islam. Scholars and imams, feminists and modernists are engaged in the debate, interpreting the scriptures. They seek the true meaning of the Quran and other religious texts like the hadith (customs and traditions) and sunna (sayings based on the life of the Prophet PBUH). The first women centric translation of the Quran by Laleh Bakhtiar adds a new flavor to the dialogue.Jihadi Recruitment is Waning Charles Kurzman in his article, Why Is It So Hard to Find a Suicide Bomber These Days, writes: ” Islamist terrorists ….…. recruited 1 in 15,000 Muslims over the last quarter century and fewer than 1 in 100,000 Muslims since 9/11.” http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/08/15/why_is_it_ so_hard_to_find_a_suicide_bomber_these_days?page=0,2. So, what these statistics indicate is that ordinary Muslims are voting for moderation with their hearts, minds and bodies as the religion prescribes, even if they are invisible to the media. The decline in Jihadi recruitment is particularly impressive. Though Iraqis, Pakistanis and Afghanis are acutely aware of how their brothers and sisters are the target of drone attacks, facing death and dislocation – they are not signing up to be global jihadis.

Mumbai’s Hindus and Muslims “get it”
A couple of weeks ago, I was in India on the heels of Hillary Clinton’s visit, when Bombay was, yet again, subjected to bomb blasts. I expected the blast would fray Hindu-Muslim relations but when I tentatively raised the issue with Arif Sheikh, a 35 year old Muslim driver fasting in Ramadan, he explained simply: “You can’t be a Muslim if you are not a good person.” He said in the recent blasts, Hindus and Muslims did not incriminate each other. Rather, they blamed only the suicide bombers. Taj Mohammad, my friend’s driver with eight children, who sent his children to a Wahabi supported mosque school, echoed Arif: “This is not Islam. The terrorists are wrong. And in our basti (slum) Hindus and Muslims did not blame each other. We have all figured out who the real culprits are.“

Is Today’s World More Violent or Less Violent?
Among many of my friends in America, there is a pervasive sense that the world is considerably more dangerous than it used to be – and this is blamed primarily on Muslims. Joshua Goldstein in his article, “Think Again: War-World peace could be closer than you think” debunks these assumptions of greater danger. “There’s more information about wars-not more wars themselves.” Deaths due to wars are declining. In fact, since 9/11, “there have been 55,000 war deaths per year, just over half of the 100,000 annually in the 90’s and a third of what they were in the cold war.” http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/08/15/think_again_war

In the US, Disconcerting Islamophobia
Right-wing Islamophobia being disseminated by hate-mongers like Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer from Jihad Watch, fueled the Ground Zero community center/mosque fires in New York last summer, generated the Tea Party’s anti-Muslim rhetoric, and politicized last fall’s elections. The latest target is the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who is being attacked along with anti-tax leader, Grover Norquist for being in bed with the Muslims (Norquist’s wife is a Muslim) and supporting an educational curriculum on Islam directed at training teachers and students in Texas schools. “http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/08/perrys_problematic_pals.html“. Sadly, the Islamophobic gurus reinforced Anders Brevik, the Norwegian terrorist who attacked a summer camp, killing young leaders this summer in Norway.In the US, I am almost giddily optimistic about the values and perspectives that American Muslims embody. A Gallup poll shows that 93% of American Muslims believe that their cohort is loyal to America. Interestingly, American Jews more than any other group reject unwarranted Islamophobia and prejudice against Muslims in America and are least likely to believe that American Muslims might be Al Qaeda sympathizers. http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/4427

Since 9/11, Muslims have evolved in the US
On a more personal note, Samina Ali, a dear friend in San Francisco and prize winning author of “Madras on Rainy Days” observes that “the backlash against Muslims, the taunting of children in school yards and hate crimes against South Asians and Arabs are at an all time high.”
But she takes succor from the Dalai Lama’s comments that the Chinese Occupation of Tibet was a blessing. It bestowed international attention on Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism well beyond the borders of Tibet. Similarly, Samina observes how: “Muslims in America since 9/11 have grown more tolerant and accepting of other Muslims, become more unified as a community and have found our voice.” May we all see the silver linings that Samina sees even in the adversity that sometimes surrounds us.Finally and importantly, let us remember the innocent who lost their lives on 9/11, and in the struggles around the world which followed that date, and the sorrows of all their familiesThe opinions mentioned in this blog reflect the personal perspective of Shahnaz Taplin Chinoy who works on educating and economically empowering Muslim women globally and locally.

The Middle East continues to sizzle. Sunni and Shia Bahraini hybrid couples put a new twist on “sushi,” (SUnni + SHIa) their nickname in Bahrain. The intransigent Qaddafi hangs on. Tom Friedman in his column a few days ago goes to the heart of the Arab revolutions by asking this question: “Is the battle for Libya the clash of a brutal dictatorship against a democratic opposition or is it fundamentally a tribal civil war?” Friedman identifies four countries – Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Iran – which have long histories and strong national identities. He contrasts this quartet from countries he calls “tribes with flags” sculpted by colonial powers which consist of myriad tribes and sects but lack a common, or national, identity. Included in this list: Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Friedman’s article asks: Are the revolutions about democracy or tribal supremacy? He hits a nerve with this piece.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/opinion/23friedman.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=%20friedman&st=cse

Another key question dominating the Arab revolutions is the role of the Muslim Brotherhood, who are suspect or distrusted by many people I know in the San Francisco Bay Area. My young friends on the ground in Cairo assure me that the Muslim Brotherhood is politically irrelevant and “out of touch.” But many of my friends here in the Bay Area are anxious because they believe the Muslim Brotherhood has a “take over” agenda. Ironically, the new alliance consists of old enemies — the Muslim Brotherhood and the Egyptian National Democratic Party. They have coalesced and supported the package of amendments designed to lead to democracy in an election where 40 million people were elated to vote. The protestors were thrilled to participate in their first “un-rigged,” democratic election and opposed the package – which passed. They wanted short-term military rule with a civilian presidential council. The battle lines are clear: old guard – reactionaries and Islamists vs. new guard, an alliance that embraces democracy and is backed by youth, women, men and technology. And while these developments are exciting, the future of the Middle East is unclear. It is a wait and see.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/middleeast/20egypt.html?scp=8&sq=muslim%20brotherhood&st=cse

I was fortunate to connect with Mohja Kahf, author of “Emails from Scheherazad,” a professor of comparative literature at the University of Arkansas. Born in Damascus, she came to the US as a child, in 1971.

We talked on the phone over the past few weeks. I asked for her insights on Syria and she said: “There is a slow gradual awakening from numbness which we’ve had for several decades. Anything expressing political dissent in Syria is equated with being a traitor, working for Israeli interests in the Golan Heights.” Politically and intellectually savvy, Mohja speaks to the triggers of change in Syria: “Seeing the pattern of revolution repeat itself in Tunisia, in Egypt and moving rapidly through the Arab world is triggering Syrians to rise.” Candidly she continues, “I never thought I would see the Arab world without dictators in my lifetime. I thought change would come in tiny steps, a little freedom here and there…..I never had even the remotest hope of living in a time like this. A hairline crack is now visible in Syria.” In the few weeks since our initial conversation, that breach has widened, she adds in a recent email, “to a crack the whole regime might just fall through.”

Syria is now inflamed; the government is engaged in a brutal crackdown…..20 killed in Sanamayn and in Damascus at the historic Umayyad Mosque, anti government protestors counter pro government supporters with “God, Syria and freedom only.” Once again, Syria engages in double speak – offering carrots (as they did earlier) and bringing down the rod by firing at protestors.

A woman with “I love Libya” written in Arabic on her hands joins a rally supporting allied air campaigns in Benghazi (Anja Niedringhaus)
The final outcomes of the multiple Arab revolutions are unclear. Many Libyans and displaced foreign workers are suffering from Qaddafi’s lunacy and megalomania, but at many levels, there is hope -for change – on the Arab Street.